Pacers 95, Bulls 90: Last year in the first round of the playoffs the Bulls brushed the Pacers aside with ease — this game was evidence of how much better this year’s Pacers are. Roy Hibbert had 20 and is much tougher in the paint, David West had 14 (he wasn’t even a Pacer last year) and Indiana’s overall defense is much better. Derrick Rose had 24 points but only two in the fourth quarter — and he even kicked out a key late shot to Brian Scalabrine (who missed it). I’ll still take Chicago in a seven-game series (especially with Luol Deng and Taj Gibson back, both of whom are out injured), but the Pacers are going to be a very tough this year.

Cavaliers 91, Knicks 81: Spare me the “second night of a back-to-back” excuse for the Knicks — except for Carmelo Anthony, he has looked almost as tired as Demi Moore. But aside that this loss was all their normal issues on display, just sloppier. New York had 22 turnovers and that really was the key state here, but there were other problems as well. ‘Melo was bad. Toney Douglas was 3-12. As a team they shot 3-20 from three. On the other side Anderson Varejao was a beast (10 points, 15 boards, 7 offensive) and was a defensive force that turned this game. Trade offers are going to come rolling in for that guy soon. Antawn Jamison led the way with 15 points, but it was a balanced attack and the entire Cavaliers team fought harder.

Bucks 105, Houston 99: Milwaukee raced out to a 12-0 lead as Brandon Jennings was getting the outlet pass and just beating everyone down the court. The Rockets were getting good looks from the outside early, the Bucks were packing the lane, but the Rockets started 1-12 from three. Then things turned around late in the second quarter and that carried into the second half. Houston found its shot, its legs and the lead. That’s when the Bucks bench happened — Stephen Jackson came and scored seven quick points (when his bad shots fall he’s tough to stop) and suddenly the Bucks were on a 14-4 run and back in front. I like what Scott Skiles did — his bench was hot so he rode them the entire fourth quarter. Mike Dunleavy and Jackson each had nine points in the fourth and the Bucks held on to win.

Wizards 92, Bobcats 75: It was Randy Wittman’s first game as Wizards head coach is a win, but it wasn’t really anything he did — Charlotte is just this bad. Washington is a much more talented, better team and it showed when they were up 20 at the half. Washington’s defensive effort seemed pretty good, but again we need to see it against real competition before judging. Andray Blatche had 17 points and 10 rebounds, good luck getting that kind of production out of him consistently, Randy.

Thunder 101, Hornets 91: This pretty much typifies the Hornets this season — they never led in this game (their ninth straight loss), but they fought hard and refused to let themselves get blown out. Jarrett Jack is New Orleans primary scorer and had 20. The Thunder looked like they got a little bored in the second half, but the game was never in doubt.

Nets 97, Sixers 90 (OT): Deron Williams owned this game. Owned. He had 17 points in the fourth quarter and overtime alone, including the step-back three to win it all. He had 34 points on the night and when you throw in his 11 dimes he accounted for more than half of the Nets points all by himself. The Sixers have a beautiful, balanced attack but when they get to the playoffs and they need a bucket, who is the guy who can go get it for them? Jrue Holiday (12 points in fourth quarter and OT)? Maybe. New Jersey, for all the flaws on its roster, has one of those guys who they know can take over.

Spurs 105, Hawks 83: It’s been 14 years since the Hawks beat the Spurs in San Antonio, so how did you think this was going to end? San Antonio was solid all around and had 17 from DeJuan Blair, including 8 in the fourth quarter. Also, Tiago Splitter is tearing it up of late, he finished with 16. If he is a real inside presence for the Spurs in the playoffs, they are much more dangerous. He’s looking like the guy the Spurs thought they were getting out of Europe.

Heat 101, Pistons 98: This was another game where the Heat were much more talented but not necessarily the team playing harder. (To be fair, fourth game in five nights and still no Dwyane Wade; but the Pistons were shorthanded as well.) Austin Daye had his best game of the season and single-handedly kept it close with 18 first half points (Detroit was down six at the break). Detroit came back from being 10 down midway through the fourth quarter to tie it all up at 90-90 with 3:30 left. Brandon Knight and Greg Monroe played well, reminding us there is a youth movement in Detroit.

Down the stretch the Heat played better defense and LeBron first set up Chris Bosh with some sweet passes (Bosh finished with 27 points) then got to the line himself for four key free throws (32 total points). Miami is now 8-1 without Wade.

Timberwolves 105, Mavericks 90: Yes, but Dallas now has those shiny rings. Minnesota got good games from its stars — Kevin Love had 31 points and 10 rebounds; Ricky Rubio had 17 points and 12 assists. Minnesota played good defense in the second half and Dallas fell in love with the jump shot and didn’t attack. As a result, Minny took 33 free throws, Dallas 10. When Dallas’ jumpers didn’t fall at an alarming rate, they were in trouble.

Raptors 111, Jazz 106 (2OT): I didn’t put Dwane Casey in my list of guys up for coach of the year, but he has made the Raptors a team you have to respect. Toronto was down 18 early but fought back. They trailed by 7 midway through the fourth but fought back. Linas Kleiza was a monster, with 17 points in the fourth quarter and overtimes he was the Raptors best player. Jose Calderon hit some big shots as well, but those felt a lot more like prayers than shots. This is an impressive road win on back-to-back nights for Toronto (they beat Phoenix the night before).

Nuggets 122, Kings 93: These two teams just play at different paces with different levels of energy. Denver was beat Sacramento to every spot on the floor all night long. The Nuggets took control of this game with a 13-0 run in the second quarter and that was that. Denver had 92 of its points in the paint. Think about that. Ninety-two.

Warriors 101, Portland 93: On its third game in three nights Portland tried to pound the soft interior of the Warriors defense, and that worked for a while with LaMarcus Aldridge leading the way (he finished with 18 points). But Golden State came back because they just shot lights out all night. They shot 51.9 percent as a team and hit 11-20 threes including 5-of-6 during a key stretch in the third when they took the lead for good. Hot shooting nights win games and Portland didn’t have the legs under them to respond.

CHICAGO (AP) —Dwyane Wade scored 20 points, and the Chicago Bulls handed San Antonio its first road loss after a 13-0 start, hanging on to beat the Spurs 95-91 on Thursday night.

San Antonio fell one win shy of matching the NBA’s best road start set by the Golden State Warriors last season. The Spurs cut an 18-point deficit midway through the third quarter to four in the closing minutes, only to come up short.

Kawhi Leonard scored 24 for San Antonio. Patty Mills added 16 points, hitting 4 of 6 3-pointers. Former Bull Pau Gasol had 13 points and 10 rebounds in his first game in Chicago since signing with San Antonio in the summer, but the Spurs lost a road game for the first time since Oklahoma City knocked them out in the Western Conference semifinals last season.

Jimmy Butler scored all of his 13 points for Chicago in the second half. Rajon Rondo added 12 points, nine assists and 10 rebounds, and Chicago picked up the win after dropping three in a row and six of nine.

The Spurs hadn’t dropped a regular-season road game since Denver beat them on April 8. But after a big push down the stretch, they came up short in this one.

The Bulls led 65-47 midway through the third following a surge by Butler, who scored seven in a 54-second span after missing his first six shots. But the Spurs jumped back into it in the closing minutes of the quarter.

They went on an 11-2 run that Mills finished with a 3 to cut it to 72-66 just under a minute into the fourth.

Things got real tight when Gasol nailed a 3 to pull San Antonio to within 88-84 with 3:24 left. Doug McDermott then hit three free throws after being fouled by Tony Parker, and the teams basically exchanged baskets the rest of the way.

TIP-INS

Spurs: Parker had eight points and five assists after missing a game because of a bruised left knee. … For the second straight game, the Spurs set a season low for first-quarter scoring. They had 17 points after managing 19 at Minnesota on Tuesday night.

Bulls: F Doug McDermott scored eight points after being sidelined because of a concussion since Nov. 11. … Butler had scored 20 or more in 15 consecutive games, the longest streak by a Bulls player since Michael Jordan did it in 24 straight during the 1995-96 season.

CHICAGO (AP) San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker returned to the lineup Thursday night against the Chicago Bulls after missing a game because of a bruised left knee.

The seven-time All-Star did not play at Minnesota on Tuesday night after knocking knees with a Milwaukee Bucks defender the previous night. He started against the Bucks after missing two games with a thigh contusion.

Parker came into Thursday averaging 9.4 points and 4.4 assists.

Chicago’s Doug McDermott returned to the rotation after missing nearly a month because of a concussion.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Marc Gasol scored 36 points and Toney Douglas made two free throws with less than a second left to give the Memphis Grizzlies an 88-86 comeback victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.

Gasol was 13 of 24 from the field, including 4 of 6 from outside the arc. But Douglas, signed by Memphis this week because of injuries, took over down the stretch. The guard scored on a 19-footer with 34 seconds left, then converted two pairs of free throws in the last 20 seconds.

Shooting issues that plagued both teams in the first half, spread past intermission as each started 4 of 14 from the field. That helped Portland maintain its lead after carrying a 50-43 advantage into halftime.

Despite converting only 5 of 20 shots in the third, Portland actually extended its lead, entering the fourth with a 69-61 advantage.

The Portland lead would reach 13 again in the fourth and was still at 11 when Memphis started its rally behind Gasol, who had nine straight points for the Grizzlies.

Portland had a previous 13-point lead in the second quarter as every Grizzly but Gasol was suffering shooting woes.

Gasol managed 19 points in the half, while Portland got 15 points each from McCollum and Lillard.

TIP-INS

Blazers: F Evan Turner started his first game of the season due to an injury to Maurice Harkless. …McCollum entered the game averaging 24 points. … G Allen Crabbe finished with seven points after scoring at least 14 in four straight games. …C Mason Plumlee had four points, ending his streak of seven straight games in double figures.

Grizzlies: Memphis coach David Fizdale finally said enough about calls and no-calls late in the first half to earn a technical courtesy of official J. T. Orr. Lillard missed the free throw to open the third. …Gasol also got a tech in the third quarter for arguing a call. … F JaMychal Green had a career-high 18 rebounds. His previous best was 17 this week in a win at New Orleans.

EXTENSIONS

Earlier Thursday, the Grizzlies announced that they have agreed to multi-year extensions with general manager Chris Wallace, John Hollinger, executive vice president of basketball operations, and Ed Stefanski, vice president of player personnel. Terms were not disclosed.

HARKLESS HURT

Portland forward Maurice Harkless did not play because of a left ankle sprain suffered in the latter stages of the Portland’s 115-107 loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday night. “I remember him wincing. He was on the free throw line,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “It was late in the game, like the last 2 minutes.”

NOTHING FREE

Both teams struggled from the free throw line. Portland made 29 of 40 in the game while Memphis was 20 of 30.

UP NEXT

Trail Blazers: Portland hits the middle game of a five-game trip, landing in Indiana on Saturday to face the Pacers.

Grizzlies: Memphis continues its homestand Saturday against the Gold State Warriors.